


Cold Lips

by Deadlihood



Series: Incubus [2]
Category: VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe- Incubus, Angst, Fantasy, Fluff, M/M, Smut, lots of angst in this one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-12-21 21:06:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11952636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deadlihood/pseuds/Deadlihood
Summary: Taekwoon thought he was done with incubi.





	Cold Lips

“Are you sure you don’t want to spend the night at my place? It’s closer.” Sanghyuk offered.

“I’m sure I can drive myself home, Hyuk. Don’t worry so much.” Taekwoon stood up, stretched, and grabbed his jacket. “Besides, I hate spending the night at your place. Your neighbors have the yappiest dog imaginable.”

“Fine, fine. Be careful.” Taekwoon could feel the weight of Sanghyuk’s worry as he left the studio. He understood his concern; it was late at night, and it had been raining heavily all day. But he was used to it by now, maneuvering his car down the winding roads to his house.  

He turned the radio on and let himself relax into his car seat, the rhythmic sound of his windshield wipers adding to the wave of noise. He didn’t mind driving home late at night, not when it was so calm and peaceful outside.

Taekwoon caught a whiff of smoke and his heart dropped into his stomach. If something was wrong with his car this was not the time to find out. The smell got stronger and then he saw a flash of white hair in his rearview mirror.

He screamed, nearly lost control of the car, and screeched to a stop. “Jesus fucking Christ!” He turned his hazards on and twisted around in the seat to look at what had landed in his backseat. “I hate when you do that!”

“Sorry.” Ravi didn’t sound like himself. Taekwoon flicked one of the lights on and nearly screamed again. Ravi was holding his side, blood oozing out from between his fingers. More blood was dripping into his yellow-green eyes. “I didn’t know where else to go.”

“Holy hell, what happened to you?”

“Got into a fight with someone I thought was younger than me. He wasn’t.” Ravi moved and groaned again. “Can we go? I’d rather not try to patch myself up in your backseat.”

Taekwoon gaped at him. “I haven’t seen you in nearly a year and you just pop up in my fucking car?”

“Sorry. Just, let’s go.” Ravi’s head lolled back against the seat. Taekwoon really didn’t see any other option. He couldn’t exactly make Ravi poof back out, and he wasn’t going to let him bleed out in his car. So home it was.

Taekwoon had to help support Ravi to get him into the house. Blood dripped out onto his entryway floor as they stumbled into the kitchen together. Taekwoon dropped him rather heavily into one of his kitchen chairs and stepped back, trying to get his head on right.

“Can I get a rag here or something? I am kind of bleeding out.” Ravi reminded him.

Taekwoon grabbed a kitchen towel and crouched to see the wound, inhaling sharply when he saw the shreds of his flesh. “What did this to you?”

“Another incubus.” Ravi groaned when the rag made contact with the wound. “Not a nice one.”

“It wasn’t Hakyeon, was it?”

“No. Someone else.” Ravi focused his eyes on Taekwoon, the yellow-green still startling. “I’m going to need help with this.”

“You don’t mean…” Taekwoon trailed off.

“No. Not that.” Ravi shifted and groaned again. “I need blood.”

“We need to get you to a hospital.” Taekwoon went to find another rag, something to help put pressure on the wound.

“I don’t exactly look like a human right now, Taekwoon. Besides, neither of us can explain this.”

“Then how-?” Taekwoon paused. “Oh. You need my blood.” He wished there was something else he could do, but Ravi was quickly turning the color of his hair. “All right, go ahead.” He held out his hand to Ravi and braced himself for the incubus to take a bite.

“Not your hands, Taekwoon.” The way he said it was enough to break Taekwoon’s heart all over again. “Roll up your sleeve.” Taekwoon gave him the soft flesh just below the crook of his elbow. Ravi looked up at him, mouth already smudging against his skin. “It’s going to hurt, a lot, unless I-”

“No. Just do it.” Taekwoon had to hold onto some semblance of his dignity. Ravi looked up at him, eyes pleading, but Taekwoon didn’t relent. So the incubus sank his teeth into his flesh. Ravi was right about it hurting a whole lot, especially when he began to drink. Taekwoon was wailing by the time Ravi pulled his head up.

“Please, Taekwoon, let me make it easy.” Ravi begged. Taekwoon’s arms bulged with the effort of holding himself up against the waves of pain. There was dignity, and there was stupidity.

“Do it.” Ravi’s palm heated up and for the first time in nearly a year, Taekwoon felt the lust explode across his skin, felt the all-consuming need burn him up from the inside. His screams turned into moans as Ravi continued drinking his blood. Taekwoon was shaking on the edge of an orgasm by the time Ravi finished and wrapped his hand around the bite wound to put pressure on it.

“Wrap the towel around it.” Ravi said, his voice steadier than before. Taekwoon sat down shakily in another chair, wrapping the towel around his arm. He ached horribly and he wanted nothing more than to kiss Ravi on his bloodstained lips. Instead, he curled in on himself and tried to will his erection to go away.

Ravi’s color was better and his eyes were brown again, the wound only seeping a little blood instead of the gushing from before. “You should get some rest.”

Taekwoon nodded and got up slowly. “Are you strong enough to smoke out of here?”

“Not yet. I need to stay on this plane or the wound will open again.” Ravi was unsteady on his feet, but he was up. “Do you have a room that doesn’t get any sunlight?”

“There’s a wine cellar, but it’s not that big. And kind of damp.”

“That’s fine. Show me where it is.” So Taekwoon took him to the cellar, and watched Ravi disappear into it, shutting the door behind him.

Taekwoon cleaned himself up the best he could without taking pressure off his arm. There was blood all over him; these clothes would have to be thrown away. He left them in a pile on his shower floor, making a mental note to scrub his kitchen and his shower with bleach as soon as he was able. Fuck, how was he going to explain the injury to Sanghyuk?

Those worries all faded away when he curled up in bed and thought of Ravi. Taekwoon had convinced himself he didn’t love the incubus anymore, didn’t ever want to think of him. But the sight of him injured, and knowing he had come to him in his time of need made his heart remember what it was like to be with Ravi.

He wrapped his good arm around his middle as if it would help hold him together, help fill the aching emptiness in him. _Mortals and incubi shouldn’t fall in love_ , he reminded himself. It had broken his heart so badly the last time. And Ravi was sure to leave again as soon as he was well enough. Better to smother those feelings while he still could and save himself the heartache of losing him again.

\--

Taekwoon woke up with his arm stiff and tender. Definitely no recording today, not with how much it hurt to extend his arm completely. He sent a quick text to Sanghyuk to tell him he wasn’t feeling well and wouldn’t be coming to the studio. Flopping back into bed, Taekwoon tried to ignore the fact that he knew where Ravi was for the first time ever. He was just in the wine cellar, so close and yet miles away. There was nothing to indicate that Ravi had any feelings towards him anymore. Besides, he’d even given his blessing to Taekwoon about Yixing.

Taekwoon wished that had worked out. They’d gone on a couple dates and decided that they were better off as friends. He didn’t mind it that much; he hadn’t been ready to date anyway. But he’d kept his eyes peeled for any other incubi that came through the area, to protect Jaehwan and Hongbin from going through what he’d been through. It helped that Jaehwan was dating another singer, Seokjin. Taekwoon groaned when he remembered that Seokjin and Jaehwan were supposed to come into the studio today to record a duet over one of his piano pieces. He’d been experimenting with lyrics over his music and had sung on a few tracks himself.

But Sanghyuk was bound to tell Jaehwan he was ill and then he’d be at his house trying to nurse him. Nothing about today seemed appealing. So he stayed in bed and surfed the Internet on his laptop. He found a great deal of peace in watching documentaries on animals, especially marine life. He was in the middle of an episode about beluga whales when Jaehwan started breaking his front door down.

Taekwoon grabbed a sweatshirt loose enough to cover the bulk of the bandage around his arm and headed to the front door. Jaehwan and Seokjin both looked very concerned, but less so when they saw his face.

“Sanghyuk said you were sick.” Jaehwan said, holding up a brown bag. “We brought supplies.”

“You guys are the best.” Taekwoon let them in, praying that Ravi wasn’t about to come out of the wine cellar like Dracula. “Soup, tissues, Vicks?”

“We thought maybe you had a cold.” Seokjin explained. “But you look pretty okay. How are you feeling?”

“It’s my stomach. Just…very queasy.” Taekwoon stuffed the soup in the fridge and briefly entertained the idea of sticking an ice pack under his sweatshirt sleeve to ice his arm. But they’d definitely notice that.

“Well, we won’t keep you long. We just wanted to see how you were doing.” Jaehwan leaned on Seokjin’s shoulder, looking every inch the adoring boyfriend. Taekwoon had been doing so well, not being jealous of them. And now, with Ravi so close, he felt the acid rise.

They made small talk for a little while before they let Taekwoon go back to bed. He napped on and off for a while, shifting the ice pack against his arm as needed. He warmed up their soup for dinner and ate it in bed. He hadn’t been this messy and sad and stuck to his bed in ages. But everyone deserved some time off. Today was just his day to be gross.

The scream he let out when he came out of the bathroom echoed through the house, and then the wine cellar door clattered open.

“What? What’s the matter?” Ravi asked, leaning heavily against the doorframe, one hand braced against his wound. “Oh Jesus fucking Christ, why are you here?”

“Can’t I come check on my darkling?” Hakyeon asked, delicately crossing his legs. “I sensed you were in distress.”

“I swear to God someone needs to write an etiquette handbook for incubi.” Taekwoon muttered. “Get off my bed.”

Hakyeon looked a little miffed, but moved. “Anyway, I came to see how you were.”

“I’m fine. If you sensed I was in trouble I could have used you before Xiumin tried to make me into ribbons.” Ravi spat.

“That’s what you get for picking fights with your elders.” Hakyeon turned his yellow-green eyes back on Taekwoon. “You’re as lovely as ever, Taekwoon.”

“Can both of you just get out of my house?” Taekwoon groaned around his hands.

“Ravi’s in no condition to dissipate. And I would be shirking my duties as a maker if I didn’t stay with him during this dangerous time.” Hakyeon gave him a pleasant smile. “How’s that arm feeling, by the way?”

“How did you know?” Taekwoon didn’t think he was holding his arm any differently.

“Because I can smell the infection from here.” Hakyeon gestured for him to roll his sleeve up. “Let’s take a look.”

Taekwoon winced when he unrolled the bandage from around his arm. The skin was red and inflamed, the teeth marks greenish-black. “How did it get infected so fast?”

“Ravi was still producing venom from his disagreement with Xiumin.” Hakyeon flitted across the room, coming to stand in front of Taekwoon. “I’ll take care of that for you.”

“What exactly are you going to do?” Taekwoon had the horrible image of him popping the infected indentations like pimples. Instead, Hakyeon lowered his head to the marks and sucked hard. Taekwoon screamed, his knees buckling underneath him. Ravi hurried to him, putting one hand on his forehead, both to cover his eyes and to flood his senses with lust.

Hakyeon let go and went to spit whatever it was out in the sink. Taekwoon, heaving breaths in, was painfully hard for the second time in two days, clutching his aching arm.

“Just like sucking venom from a snake bite.” Hakyeon explained, coming back from the bathroom. “It should heal up just fine now.” He inhaled deeply, eyes fluttering closed. “Mm. You still smell delicious.”

“Leave him alone, Hakyeon.” Ravi threatened.

“That’s not your decision anymore, Ravi.” Hakyeon gave him a pointed look. “You left our lovely pianist here. You relinquished your claim.”

“Well I’m unrelinquishing it.”

“Excuse me! I’m standing right here!” Taekwoon waved his good arm to get their attention. “I don’t belong to either of you. I don’t want either of you. Right now I’d really like for both of you to get the hell out of my house.”

“One of those was a lie, angel, and we both knew it.” Hakyeon winked. “Come on Ravi, you should be resting. I’ll have to feed you, like in the old days.”

Taekwoon really didn’t want to know what that entailed, or which one of his statements Hakyeon thought was a lie. He just wanted to be left in peace. The incubi had made his life a mess and now he’d just gotten everything back on track, just in time for them to fuck it up again.

He’d started to settle in for the night when there was a loud clattering from his wine cellar. Taekwoon wished he had never laid eyes on either of them. Grumbling, he got out of his bed and went to the wine cellar, wrenching the door open.

He had not expected to see what he found. He’d thought maybe they were arguing, maybe they were fighting. But Ravi was straddling Hakyeon’s hips, kissing him fiercely. Neither seemed to notice his presence. Taekwoon shut the door before he got sick.

He curled in on himself in bed, trying to work through the storm of emotions clouding his mind. He didn’t have any right to be upset about the two incubi being together. They were the same species; any relationship they might have would make sense. But Ravi had never given off the impression that he liked Hakyeon all that much, let alone enough to be dry humping him.

Taekwoon didn’t want to think about it. He took a sleeping pill and rolled himself tighter in his blankets, trying desperately to think of anything but what was happening in his house.

\--

Taekwoon was especially cranky the next day at recording. Everyone was thankfully still under the impression that he’d been ill so they were cutting him some slack. Taekwoon did feel a little bad when he snapped at Seokjin during one of the takes, but the memory of the previous night had left him in a foul mood.

Seokjin and Jaehwan left after lunch to get ready for a gig that night, which left Sanghyuk, tactfully quiet, and Taekwoon, simmering mad. He was supposed to go to the performance that night and while he really didn’t want to go and be social, he also did not want to go back to his house where those two pain in the ass incubi were squatting. He wished he could tell them to get out and never come back, but the chances that either of them would listen was very low.

And Ravi was injured, he reminded himself. Where else could they go? Taekwoon could be their only safe haven. Which didn’t mean he was okay with them fooling around in his house. It felt like a slap in the face.

He would go straight from the studio to the gig, and then try to spend the night at Jaehwan’s apartment so he didn’t have to go home. Then he would be back in the morning when they were sleeping and he could have some peace and quiet.

Or he could go off on one of his little quiet trips and just disappear for a few weeks into the mountains somewhere. That had always been good for him, especially when he was in the middle of recording and had hit a roadblock. Then again, giving the incubi the run of his house did not sound like a good idea.

He resolved to drink heavily that night, and went back to playing. His arm hurt but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the day before. As long as he kept the bandage hidden under his sleeve no one would be the wiser.

Sanghyuk took him to dinner, mostly because he didn’t trust Taekwoon to feed himself in the state he was in. And he was right. He’d spent enough time managing the pianist to recognize when he was in a mood and wouldn’t take care of himself. So he took him to eat and didn’t pester him through dinner, and then dropped him off at his car so he could drive himself to the gig.

Jaehwan and Seokjin had started getting booked to sing together ever since the managers of the night clubs had found out they were dating. It was kind of cute to have them do duets; Taekwoon was sure that once Valentine’s Day rolled around there would be an entire theme around them being a couple themselves. Normally he wouldn’t be so bitter about it, but none of his circumstances were normal.

Taekwoon had never been able to hold spiced rum. It went straight to his head and fucked him up royally. So he ordered himself a rum and coke and found himself a booth and started drinking.

“You’re in a mood.” A voice said next to him drily. Taekwoon jumped, nearly spilling the drink on himself.

“Fuck, you can’t just poof in here whenever you want.” Taekwoon snapped at Hakyeon.

“I didn’t _poof_ in. I walked in. You’re just too busy drowning your sorrows in that.” Hakyeon gestured at the glass with one perfectly manicured black fingernail.

“Go away, Hakyeon.” Taekwoon shifted in his seat, hunching his shoulders. He felt like an angry bear.

“I don’t think you want me to go.” Hakyeon cocked his head to one side. “What’s got you all in a snit?”

“Uh, the fact that I have two incubi staying in my house and I don’t want either of them there?”

“See, there you go lying again.” Hakyeon leaned over the table. “I can smell your lies. And your desires.”

“I really do not want you around, Hakyeon. The last time I saw you, you made Ravi go crazy and then tried to jump me.”

“I just reminded Ravi of who he is. And I wouldn’t have slept with you if you hadn’t consented. As old as I am, I can certainly woo you into bed.”

“What _is it_ with you assholes and being so sure that you can woo us into bed? And what does your age have to do with it?”

“Practice, angel. When you’ve bedded as many people as a five thousand year old incubus has, you learn quite a few tricks.” Hakyeon snorted. “Who do you think Ravi learned most of his tricks from?”

“You?” Taekwoon remembered Hakyeon referring to himself as Ravi’s maker.

“I formed Ravi with my own hands.” Hakyeon smiled fondly at the memory. “Dust of the wasteland, sex, and a bit of my own body. And there he was, my darkling, my shining creation.”

“I’m very happy for you both.” Taekwoon muttered into his drink.

“Are you jealous, angel? I know you saw us last night.”

“I’m not jealous.” It sounded like a lie, even to Taekwoon.

“I have to feed him, just like in the old days when he was too inexperienced to hunt on his own. He needs to keep his strength up if he’s going to recover.”

“How bad is that injury?”

“Ravi is in a great deal of danger. Xiumin, the incubus he fought, is nearly as old as I am. His injuries are extensive, although your blood helped.”

“Is there anything else I can do for him?”

“You’ve given him blood, a safe haven to recover.” Hakyeon’s thoughtful eyes glimmered with wickedness. “I suppose you could help me feed him.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Then I suppose you’ll have to put up with minding him while I hunt.” Hakyeon shrugged. “Your choice, angel. It is, always, your choice.” With that, he got up from the table and walked away. Taekwoon didn’t watch to see if he left or not. He drained his glass and turned his attention to the stage, where the spotlights were coming up.

He was very, very drunk by the time their set finished. Spiced rum went right through him. He toddled off to the bathroom to relieve himself. When he came back, Hakyeon was at his booth, talking with Jaehwan and Seokjin.

“Oh, there you are.” Jaehwan said. “Whoa, are you okay?”

“Drank a little.” Taekwoon shrugged mechanically. “Why are you still here?”

“I was waiting for you, of course. I’m your ride home.” Hakyeon smiled charmingly. “You’ve been drinking.”

“I was planning on spending the night with Jaehwan.” Taekwoon said from between gritted teeth.

“But if you had already arranged this, why stay at my place?” Jaehwan asked. “Hakyeon was telling us he was staying with you.”

Taekwoon wanted to scream, very loudly and for a very long time. “I forgot.” He grabbed Hakyeon’s shoulder roughly. “I guess we should go then. I’m a little drunk.”

“Make sure you have some water.” Seokjin reminded him. “And maybe some bread, if you’re feeling sick.”

“Thanks. I will.” Taekwoon said his goodbyes and followed Hakyeon outside. They were by his car when he punched the incubus in the face and immediately howled in pain.

“What did you think was going to happen?” Hakyeon asked, looking at Taekwoon on his knees clutching his hand. “I’m not exactly human.”

“Fuck off, Hakyeon.” Taekwoon spat out. Wiggling his fingers experimentally, he determined they weren’t broken but they were definitely going to hurt.

“Get in the car, angel, we’re causing a scene.”

Taekwoon’s rage filled the car like smoke. Halfway home, in a conversational tone, Hakyeon said, “angel, all that anger is turning me on.”

“Go fuck yourself.”

“Now that’s a trick I haven’t learned yet.” Hakyeon turned onto his long, winding driveway. “Such a shame you drank so much.”

“Why?”

“Because I couldn’t have sex with you now even if you wanted to.”

“I hate you. Go to the wine cellar and take care of your darkling.” Taekwoon stormed off to his room, slamming the door behind him. It seemed like only moments later there was a soft tap on his door. “Go away, Hakyeon.”

“It’s me.” Ravi said, popping his head through the crack in the door.

“Why are you even up?” Taekwoon lifted his head from his pillow to watch Ravi move slowly into the room. He was still holding his side gingerly, although his coloring looked better.

“I could tell you were angry. And Hakyeon is a lot to handle.” Ravi sat on the edge of the bed nervously. “Is this okay?”

“It’s fine.” Taekwoon, as hard as he tried, found it difficult to be mad at Ravi. If he was in as much trouble as Hakyeon made it seem, his house was probably the safest place for him to recover. It wasn’t his fault Hakyeon was around.

“I’m sorry that we’ve invaded your home. As soon as I’m well enough to dissipate, I promise we’ll leave.”

“I don’t really mind you being here. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m still pissed at you for leaving me and breaking my heart, but I like you better than Hakyeon.”

Ravi laughed humorlessly. “Most people tend to like me better than Hakyeon.” There was a beat of silence where Taekwoon just looked at the way the moonlight made Ravi’s hair glow.

“Will you kiss me?” Taekwoon asked in a soft voice. The incubus looked at him for a moment, as if he was considering it.

“Do you want me to kiss you, or does the drink want me to kiss you?” He asked finally.

“I do.”

“Then I will.” Ravi could never say no to Taekwoon, especially not when he looked so soft and vulnerable. Taekwoon sat up on his knees so Ravi didn’t have to bend to him. The first press of the incubus’s lips against his was so gentle. Then another, feather-light. And then desperation seemed to take hold, and Ravi was kissing him fiercely, Taekwoon gripping at his shoulders.

“I can’t leave you two kids alone, can I?” Hakyeon said from the doorway. Taekwoon glared at him over Ravi’s shoulder.

“Did no one ever teach you manners?” Taekwoon snapped.

“Nope. My maker wasn’t very big on manners.” Hakyeon shrugged. “You should be resting, Ravi.”

“I came to check on him.” Ravi’s eyes were shut tight. “I’ll rest when I’m done.”

“You need to eat.”

“Don’t nag me, Hakyeon.” Ravi opened his eyes and Taekwoon felt like falling over backwards under the sadness in his face. “Get some rest, darling.” He kissed Taekwoon’s forehead gently and then got up, moving slowly. Hakyeon helped him out of the room and shut the door behind him.

Taekwoon flopped back against his pillows, one hand on his lips. He shouldn’t have asked for the kiss. It was the taste of the forbidden fruit that would poison him.

\--

Taekwoon hated himself just a little bit as he stood in front of the aisle, picking out sheets. He didn’t need to be doing this. Ravi hadn’t complained and Hakyeon hadn’t said a word. But he still felt bad about Ravi sleeping on the floor of the damp wine cellar, especially while he was injured.

So he was buying a _fucking_ air mattress and some _goddamn_ sheets and a _stupid_ pillow and he was going to make his house guest comfortable. And then as soon as Ravi left, which he was hoping would be soon, he would burn them.

“Guests coming into town?” The way-too-cheerful cashier asked him. Taekwoon flicked his eyes up at him, glad they were hidden behind dark sunglasses. The fluorescent lights were killing him and his hangover.

“Yeah.” Taekwoon slapped his credit card down, hating every minute of the interaction. His foul mood seemed to hang over him like a cloud, especially when he had to go through the trouble of inflating the goddamn air mattress. He gave up halfway through and went to his piano.

In times of trouble, nothing gave him comfort like his piano. He spent a moment dusting the scarred wood and organized some of the sheet music he’d left out. Then he sat down to play, his fingers skimming over the keys lightly.

He wasn’t sure how long he was sitting there at the piano, lost between the black notes and the white. He lost all track of time as he played, not noticing the sun’s path across his living room floor and the soft creaking of the wine cellar door.

He had paused to let a note ring out when he heard the squeak of his couch cushions. He whirled around and found both incubi sitting on his couch, inky black tears leaking from their eyes.

Taekwoon was so surprised that he couldn’t bring himself to be mad. He just stared at them for a moment, watching them wipe away their tears.

“Do incubi really like music?” Taekwoon asked.

“We love all things beautiful. Art, music, poetry. People.” Hakyeon answered.

“Is this…is this why you both like me so much?”

“No.” Ravi’s tone was firm. “No, darling.”

“We love a pretty face as much as we love a good painter.” Hakyeon stood, crossing the room on light feet. Taekwoon let him tilt his chin up with one finger. “But you, angel, are the perfect weapon. With this gift and this face, how could I not want you?”

Taekwoon swallowed hard, and he was sure Hakyeon could feel the bob of his throat. “How much do you want me?” He knew it was probably a dumb question with an answer he wasn’t going to like.

Hakyeon’s eyes dilated slightly, like a cat looking at its prey. “So much that I would break this piano fucking you into it.” Taekwoon’s eyes fluttered shut, letting Hakyeon pet his thumb over his lips.

Ravi growled low in his throat when Hakyeon dipped his head towards the pianist. “Back off, Hakyeon.”

“You relinquished your claim, darkling.” Hakyeon murmured. “And I’m not doing anything he doesn’t want.”

Taekwoon opened his eyes, shocked by just how much he _wanted_. He felt like an aching, empty pit. Both of the incubi inhaled deeply.

“Well look at that, Ravi.” Hakyeon practically purred, cupping Taekwoon’s cheek. “He wants both of us.”

“Yes.” Taekwoon hated that his voice cracked.

“We should give him what he wants.” Hakyeon nuzzled his face into Taekwoon’s neck and bit down hard on the soft flesh. Taekwoon’s knee hit the piano hard when he jerked in Hakyeon’s grasp.

“Get him away from the piano before he hurts himself.” Ravi stood up carefully, following as Hakyeon half-dragged Taekwoon towards his bedroom. He hated seeing Hakyeon’s hands on him, even though the older incubus was right. He had given up his claim on Taekwoon, and his beautiful pianist’s desires were very clear. If nothing else, Ravi could give him this.

So he joined them on Taekwoon’s bed, not wincing when Taekwoon’s desperate hands grabbed at one of his wounds. Letting the pianist into his lap to kiss him senseless felt so right it made his head spin. Hakyeon was pressed against his back, murmuring something filthy into Taekwoon’s ear as Ravi kissed him.

Taekwoon found himself being stripped methodically by the two incubi and then flipped onto his back, his head between Ravi’s legs. The first hot press of Hakyeon’s lips against his belly made Taekwoon grasp at Ravi’s thighs for something to hold onto. Taekwoon didn’t dare look down at what Hakyeon was doing, not that he could have even opened his eyes. Whatever he was doing with his mouth was so good it almost hurt.

Then Hakyeon’s mouth was gone and Ravi was shifting away from him. “What are you doing?” Taekwoon asked, blinking his eyes clear.

“Just making sure my darkling doesn’t hurt himself.” Hakyeon finished lashing Ravi’s wrists to the headboard.

“You’re going to make him watch?” Taekwoon wasn’t sure how he felt about that. It seemed almost sacrilegious.

“I’m fine, Taekwoon.” Ravi didn’t sound very fine. He tested the ropes around his wrists. Hakyeon had always been good with ropes. He kind of hated it.

“When he was younger, he loved to watch.” Hakyeon whispered in Taekwoon’s ear, flipping him over onto his belly. “He’s a bit of a voyeur, our Ravi.”

“Just get on with it Hakyeon.” Ravi said through gritted teeth.

“Please. I don’t want to hurt our little angel.” A cool hand stroked down Taekwoon’s back, smoothing over his backside. “He’s fragile. I have to take my time.”

“I don’t want him to have to watch.” Taekwoon grunted when he felt one cool finger slip inside him.

“Do you think it would be any easier for him in another room, knowing what I was doing to you? Craving to see and smell and taste you?” Hakyeon twisted his fingers in deeper, making Taekwoon moan. He dropped his head onto his crossed arms, thick thighs shaking as he tried to hold himself up.

Hakyeon was nothing if not thorough. He spent what felt like ages working Taekwoon open, each new finger bringing a new set of tricks to make Taekwoon jerk and moan underneath him. With the addition of the fourth finger, Hakyeon flooded him with lust. It felt like he had hit him with it directly at his prostate. Taekwoon yelled as he came, his knees sliding farther apart as he twitched through it.

“So pretty,” Hakyeon crooned, rubbing his hand over his back. “God, Ravi, how did you survive him?”

“It was difficult.” Ravi said in a strangled voice.

“How much time do you need?” Hakyeon helped Taekwoon lie on his back, away from the wet spot he’d left on the comforter.

“I don’t know?” Taekwoon didn’t know where his head was, let alone how long it would take for him to come down.

“Darling?” Ravi waited until Taekwoon turned his head to look at him. “Do you need to stop?”

Taekwoon shook his head. “I’m fine. I just need to get myself together.”

“Well, while we wait for you I suppose I can take care of Ravi.” Hakyeon moved to take Ravi’s pants off and Taekwoon slapped his hands away.

“No. Not in front of me.” Taekwoon glared; Hakyeon withdrew his hands.

“A possessive angel, I see.” Hakyeon gripped his hips and pulled him onto his lap. “Don’t you want to feed your Ravi?”

Taekwoon gritted his teeth. “That doesn’t mean you manhandle him in front of me.”

“Then why don’t you do it for me?”

Taekwoon slid off Hakyeon’s lap with shaky legs, moving to undo the button of Ravi’s jeans. He tugged them down his legs, closing his eyes when he saw the half-healed wounds criss-crossing his legs. “Ravi…” His voice came out barely above a whisper.

“I’m fine, darling.” Ravi wished he hadn’t had to see that. It was almost worse when Taekwoon pulled the jeans all the way off and traced his way back up, warm mouth smudging around the wounds as if he was kissing them better.

“Didn’t think you’d have a wound kink.” Hakyeon sounded annoyed or maybe just bored.

“Fuck off, Hakyeon.” Taekwoon muttered, leaning over to kiss Ravi’s lips.

“If you’re being this sassy, I guess that means you’re ready.” He slid up into Taekwoon without any warning; any protestations Taekwoon might have made disappeared into a moan.

Hakyeon fucked hard and slow, the power of his hips making Taekwoon see stars. Every cry seemed to echo in the bedroom, until Taekwoon opened his eyes and realized Ravi was moaning along with him. Taekwoon held his gaze until Hakyeon slammed right into his prostate and he couldn’t keep his eyes open.

“He’s getting close.” Ravi warned Hakyeon.

“Do you want Ravi?” Hakyeon punctuated his words with several sharp thrusts.

“Yes, yes.” Taekwoon panted out. Hakyeon pulled out and lifted Taekwoon into Ravi’s lap.

“I wish I could hold you.” Ravi whispered as Taekwoon sank down onto him.

“Next time.” Taekwoon was trying to be gentle to avoid hurting him; Hakyeon seemed to take exception to that. Lust burned across his skin and then a cool hand was gripping his length.

“Come on, Taekwoon.” Hakyeon murmured into his ear, teeth grazing the shell of it. “You need to feed him.”

It took only a few more moments before Taekwoon came again, trapped between the two incubi. Taekwoon rested his forehead against Ravi’s shoulder, his arms wrapped around his neck. Hakyeon, slotted right up against his back, pressed soft kisses to the back of his neck.

“What a beautiful angel.” Hakyeon said, helping Taekwoon climb off Ravi. “Did you take your fill?”

“Why do you think he looks like that?” Ravi scoffed. Taekwoon felt like his whole body was made of jelly. Hakyeon lay him down on his back, stroking the line of his cheekbone almost reverently.

“Are you all right?” Hakyeon murmured, petting his hair back.

“Next time, tie me up.” Taekwoon mumbled back. Hakyeon laughed and for the first time there was actually some warmth in it.

“He’s too pretty, Ravi.” Hakyeon undid Ravi’s ropes, letting him relax down against the pillows.

“I know.” Ravi was sparking and alive with Taekwoon’s energy, his mouth flooded with the taste of him.

“Are you satisfied?” Hakyeon crooned to Taekwoon. Ravi wished he had the strength to shove Hakyeon away from the pianist. There was nothing worse than watching his maker coo to the man he loved, or the man he’d thought he loved.

No, he loved Taekwoon. There was no doubt about that. Nothing had been more painful than leaving him, than giving his blessing for Taekwoon to date that other mortal, than watching Hakyeon touch Taekwoon.

“There’s an air mattress for him.” Taekwoon mumbled sleepily, his head pillowed on Hakyeon’s golden thigh.

“What’s that, angel?” Hakyeon slowed the movement of his fingers through the pianist’s hair.

“There’s an air mattress and sheets for Ravi. I bought it for him today.”

“What a soft, sweet angel.” Hakyeon could see how Ravi had fallen in love with him, as clear as day. Now that he’d been inside him, had tasted him, it would be very difficult to give him up. It was with great reluctance that Hakyeon left the room to get the air mattress filled and shoved down into the wine cellar for Ravi. Neither of them could send him away, but he still didn’t want to wear out his welcome.

When he came back to the bedroom, Taekwoon had half flopped up towards his pillows, body still limp. Ravi had limped to the bathroom and back, a damp washcloth in his hand as he cleaned up the pianist. In the moonlight, Hakyeon could see every scrape, scratch, and cut that Xiumin had left on his darkling. If he’d been more parental, perhaps he would have gone to beat the other incubus for hurting his darkling. But Hakyeon had never been one for revenge; Ravi picked fights he thought he could win, and it wasn’t up to Hakyeon to finish those battles.

When Ravi had finished mopping up what was left of Taekwoon, Hakyeon settled him under his covers. The moonlight turned his skin silvery-pale. Hakyeon couldn’t help but smudge a line of kisses across his shoulders. Taekwoon smiled sleepily.

“Did both of you feed?” Taekwoon mumbled, opening one eye.

“No. I let Ravi have his fill.” Hakyeon leaned down, kissing Taekwoon’s temple. “Next time I’ll have a taste.” Ravi was scowling at the idea of “next time,” but unless Taekwoon expressed a desire for Ravi only, Hakyeon was pretty sure there would be a next time.

“Ravi, go sleep.” Taekwoon rolled onto his back, looking at Ravi through half-closed eyes. “You need to rest.”

“I set up the bed downstairs for you.” Hakyeon hoped that Ravi would get the hint and leave. He didn’t.

“Aren’t you coming?” Ravi asked, glaring at his maker.

“I’ll be down soon.” Hakyeon looked pointedly at the door, and then at the half-asleep Taekwoon. Ravi left, the acrid smell of his irritation hanging in the air.

“Oh, little angel,” Hakyeon crooned, curling his body to fit around Taekwoon’s. “There’s so much in you I need to unlock.” Taekwoon mumbled unintelligibly in his sleep. “A heart that could love an incubus, now that is truly rare. I’m going to have to turn you inside out and find all your secrets.”  

\--

If Taekwoon had learned anything from being around incubi, it was that they popped up at the most inconvenient times.

He’d taken a break from recording to use the bathroom. Just as he turned around to wash his hands, a column of smoke appeared behind him, revealing Hakyeon. Taekwoon barely managed not to yelp at the sight of him.

“Fucking hell, Hakyeon!” Taekwoon hissed, double-checking the door to make sure it was locked. “What are you doing here?”

“We need you at home.” Hakyeon raised his hands and Taekwoon saw the blood on them. “My darkling, stubborn as he is, tried to dissipate. His wounds opened up.”

“Fuck. I gotta make an excuse.”

“Just get home quickly, angel.” Hakyeon disappeared, leaving Taekwoon to compose himself and walk back out.

“Are you okay?” Sanghyuk asked, noticing the shocked look on his face.

“I’ve got someone staying with me, and apparently a pipe just burst in the house.” Taekwoon grabbed his jacket and keys. “I’ll keep working on the recording from home if I can, just send me the file.”

“Okay. See you later?” The last part Sanghyuk had to yell at Taekwoon’s retreating back.

Taekwoon’s white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel reminded him that he was definitely not over Ravi. Not like the other night had done anything to convince him that he was. He’d tried to tell himself he’d lost his head and it wouldn’t happen again. But he’d thought about it, replayed it in his mind too many times. He had missed Ravi, and being in his arms again, feeling him inside him, that had been enough to break his heart all over again. And with the tiny glass shards of his heart, he loved Ravi.

Ravi and Hakyeon were down in the wine cellar on the air mattress. Hakyeon was holding Ravi across his lap, cradling him gently. A thin line of blood leaked out of Ravi’s mouth. The older incubus looked relieved to see Taekwoon. “Not a moment too soon, angel.”

The air mattress groaned under all of their weight. Taekwoon pushed his bare arm under Ravi’s mouth, Hakyeon helping to prop him up. Ravi’s nose pushed up against Taekwoon’s flesh as his head hung limp.

“Come on, just bite.” Hakyeon jiggled Ravi’s head a little, which made his eyes flutter shut.

“Try not to give him shaken baby syndrome.” Taekwoon scolded. Ravi was still limp in Hakyeon’s arms.

“Oh for fuck’s sake.” Hakyeon leaned down and bit Taekwoon’s arm; the pianist yelped in pain, but the smell of blood seemed to bring Ravi around enough to get him to lap at the blood weakly. “There we go, darkling.” Ravi attached his mouth to the wound and sucked hard.

Taekwoon’s breath came in harsh, pained pants. A cool hand slipped around the back of his neck, long fingers curling into the short hairs at his nape. “I didn’t forget about you, little angel.” The way Hakyeon used his power made Taekwoon feel heavy and languid, pleasure soaking into his limbs and dampening the pain in his arm. The pianist’s head lolled onto Hakyeon’s shoulder; the incubus could only coo gently at him.

Ravi drank his fill and fell asleep, leaving Hakyeon to pull Taekwoon out of the wine cellar and staunch the blood flow.

“Why did he try to dissipate?” Taekwoon asked as Hakyeon carefully bandaged his arm.

“Do you want the truth, or do you want to be happy?” Hakyeon’s eyes were warm brown. Taekwoon couldn’t remember when they had changed from their usual yellow-green color.

“Why would the truth make me unhappy?”

“Because I think my darkling wanted to leave.” Hakyeon rested his cheek on his hand, the other still wrapped around Taekwoon’s arm. Taekwoon sat quietly, digesting that bit of news. He had assumed that Ravi still loved him. It certainly seemed like he did.

“So he wants to leave me.”

“And he’d like me to leave as well. If he’s strong enough to dissipate, then neither of us will be around you. And I think my darkling would prefer if I stayed away from you.” Hakyeon cocked his head to one side, examining Taekwoon. “How would you feel about that?”

“I…” Taekwoon sighed, trying to puzzle through the confused, fuzzy mess of his thoughts. “I love Ravi. I know I still love him.” Hakyeon’s face flashed with something like pain before he carefully rearranged it to be neutral. But Taekwoon still saw it. “Hakyeon, I really don’t know how I feel about you.”

“Explain that.” Hakyeon’s long fingers stroked the sensitive skin on the inside of his arm, which only made it harder for Taekwoon to think.

“I can’t explain it. Fuck, stop touching me, I can’t think.”

“I don’t want to stop touching you.” Hakyeon pressed a line of kisses up Taekwoon’s arm.

Taekwoon swore under his breath. “I hate incubi.” With that, he stood up and took Hakyeon to his bedroom. He let the incubus press him into his sheets, murmur deliciously filthy things in his ear as he worked him open, fuck him until he could barely breathe.  And then, just as reverently as he had pulled him apart, Hakyeon put Taekwoon back together. The pianist was sleepy in his arms, recognizing the feeling of being fed on.

“What’s this?” Taekwoon mumbled, tapping the tattoo on the back of Hakyeon’s hand. It was a small triangle with an eye in it.

“It’s one of my tattoos. I keep most of them hidden.” Hakyeon pressed a soft kiss into Taekwoon’s hair.

“Can I see them?”

“They’re part of my true form.” Taekwoon blinked up at him. “You won’t like it, angel.”

“Please. I want to see.”

Hakyeon sighed and settled Taekwoon against his pillows. He let the façade ripple away like water cascading off his skin. He expected Taekwoon to scream, to be frightened by the sharp teeth, the reptilian tail, the tattoos that criss-crossed his body. But the pianist just took it all in, examining his tattoos.

“You aren’t afraid.”

“I saw Ravi like this once, remember?” Taekwoon didn’t mean for his voice to sound so sharp. Hakyeon still winced and pulled his glamour back over himself.

“Not one of my finer moments with you.”

“Not exactly, no.” Taekwoon rolled over onto his belly with some difficulty, eyes still on Hakyeon. “That’s why I don’t know how I feel about you.”

“I didn’t make Ravi into something he’s not.” Hakyeon reminded him. “I may have made him change, but that form you saw, that is Ravi. And the way you just saw me, is me.” He petted over Taekwoon’s back gently. “Don’t ever forget that we’re made of dust and blood, angel. We’ll burn you alive.”

\--

Hakyeon returned to the wine cellar when Taekwoon had fallen asleep. Ravi was on the air mattress, pretending to be asleep. The steady flow of black tears on his face was enough to tell Hakyeon that he wasn’t sleeping.

“Are you in pain?” Hakyeon asked in a bland, conversational tone, leaning up against one of the shelves. He was glowing and fizzing with having fed on Taekwoon, his yellow-green eyes sparking with life. Ravi’s shoulders tightened as he curled in on himself.

“Go away, Hakyeon.” Ravi’s voice was muffled by the pillow Taekwoon had bought for him. The white pillowcase was polka-dotted black from his tears.

“I just put the angel to bed, there’s really nothing else for me to do.”

Ravi snarled, baring his teeth at his maker. “Go _away_!”

“So that is why you tried to dissipate. You wanted me to leave.” Hakyeon snorted. “There are better ways to get me to leave than to nearly kill yourself.”

“You mean there’s actually a way to get you to leave me alone?”

“If you left this house, I’d leave you alone.” Hakyeon examined his fingernails idly. “But quite obviously, you’re in no condition to dissipate.”

“I want you to leave Taekwoon alone.” With some difficulty, Ravi pulled himself upright. “He’s not someone you can use up and throw aside like the rest of your broken toys.”

“I’ll leave when he doesn’t cry out so deliciously for me.” Hakyeon sighed happily. “Oh, he’s so beautiful. So needy.”

“He’s mine, Hakyeon. We still have a blood bond. And he loves me.”

“He may love you, but he just took _me_ to bed.” Hakyeon shrugged. “I’m not giving him up.”

“And if he doesn’t want you? If he wants me instead?”

“You left him a year ago, little darkling. What makes you think he wants to be in that position again?”

“Why do you want him so badly? Because he’s mine? Do you have to have everything that is mine?” Ravi instantly regretted riling his maker. His head slammed into the cellar floor painfully, Hakyeon’s hand wrapped around his throat.

“ _You_ are mine, little darkling. I made you out of my own blood and body. There is no you without me.” Hakyeon hissed, the words garbled by his extended teeth. “I gave up something I didn’t know I had to make you.” Hakyeon released him, returning to his corner in a seething rage.

“What exactly did you give up? I didn’t ask you to make me.”

“None of your fucking business, Ravi.” Hakyeon dissipated into smoke, leaving Ravi sore and angry. Even with Taekwoon’s blood in his system, he was too weak to move from where Hakyeon had left him.

He had felt every agonizing moment of Hakyeon and Taekwoon having sex, had heard every moan and sigh that had passed through his pianist’s lips. And he hated every minute of it, knowing that Taekwoon had willingly let his maker into his bed.

_He loves me_ , Ravi chanted silently to himself. _He loves me, not Hakyeon_. He was sure Taekwoon still loved him. There was no other reason he would have let him stay here, would have given him a bed to sleep on, his blood to drink. He had to still love him.

Ravi still loved his pianist, as much as he ever had. Leaving Taekwoon had nearly killed him. He’d only come back because he had nowhere safe to go. Taekwoon was always his safe haven.

Ravi’s mouth tasted like ashes, thinking about Hakyeon and Taekwoon. His maker was charming, that was true, but Taekwoon wasn’t a fool. And he hadn’t gotten along with him well in the beginning. But he’d still taken him to bed, without Ravi. That had been Taekwoon’s choice.

Ravi didn’t know what was worse: letting Taekwoon go for his own good, or recognizing that Taekwoon might want someone else.

\--

If there was one good thing about sharing his house with two incubi, it was that Taekwoon could easily recognize them.

Taekwoon hadn’t thought much of it when the man approached Jaehwan at the bar. The singer was often at the bar, either as a performer or a patron. It was entirely possible that he was just a fan of Jaehwan’s, or making friendly conversation.

But the way the light had reflected off the strange man’s white hair had chimed a sour note in his head; it looked like Ravi’s, a little unkempt, a little too unnatural. Then he saw the dazed, unfocused look in Jaehwan’s eyes, and he was certain the man wasn’t human.

He stepped into the darkened hallway and called for Hakyeon. He didn’t know if the older incubus would come the way Ravi had, but Ravi was certainly in no condition to dissipate. He’d been taking Taekwoon’s blood reluctantly for the past week, too frail to do anything else. The blood would keep him alive, Hakyeon had told him, but it wasn’t as good as feeding during sex. Hakyeon had been doing plenty of that after Taekwoon had let Ravi drink; he’d never slept better.

Taekwoon hissed Hakyeon’s name into the air again, and then felt a solid presence at his back.

“I’m not your servant boy.” Hakyeon snarled into his ear. “I do not do your bidding.” With his arms locked around Taekwoon’s waist like iron, the pianist was a little scared.

“I wouldn’t have called if I didn’t need your help.” Taekwoon was remembering when he’d made a similar request to Ravi a year earlier. “There’s an incubus after my best friend.”

“And?”

“And, I need you to protect him.”

Hakyeon scoffed. “Angel, you don’t get to be my age by fighting other incubi willy-nilly. And certainly not to protect someone I’m not blood-bonded to.”

“Please, Hakyeon. An incubus would destroy him, not to mention his relationship. He won’t survive this.”

“It’s none of my business, Taekwoon.”

“Please! He’s my best friend! Do I need to get on my knees and beg?” When Hakyeon didn’t respond, Taekwoon went ahead and knelt. “Please. Protect him.”

“Get off your knees. It doesn’t suit you.” Hakyeon’s voice came out in a low growl. He practically yanked Taekwoon back up to his feet. “I’ll protect him. Remember that I did this for you.”

Taekwoon nearly burst into tears. “Thank you.”

“I did this for you.” Hakyeon repeated, before vanishing into smoke. Taekwoon figured his best bet was to get Jaehwan away and safely home, and that would give Hakyeon the chance to force the other incubus away.

Jaehwan hardly seemed to recognize him when he tapped him on the shoulder. “Oh, where’ve you been?” He asked, his dilated eyes shining in the bar’s neon light.

“I’m not feeling well. Could you drive me home?” Taekwoon ignored the way the incubus was glaring at him. He was used to pissed off incubi.

“Oh. Okay.” Jaehwan slowly started getting his things together and said goodbye to whoever he thought he’d been talking to. Taekwoon kept a tight grip on his elbow as they walked out of the bar.

“I hope you feel better tomorrow. Remember, Seokjin and I are coming to do some more edits of the track in the morning.”

“Sanghyuk really is never satisfied.” Taekwoon sighed. “Sleep well, Jaehwan.” He went into his house to pace the dark parlor, waiting for Hakyeon to come back. It dimly occurred to him that he should go talk to Ravi, should keep him company, but his worry for Jaehwan’s safety was all he could think about.

An hour, then another passed, and Hakyeon still wasn’t back. Taekwoon was sure he’d worn a track in his wood floors.

“Will you stop tapdancing?” Ravi finally called from the wine cellar door, half hanging out of it with a haggard look on his face.

“I’m not tapdancing. I’m pacing. And you should be resting.”

“I would be resting if you’d stop marching around up here. What’s the matter?” Taekwoon filled him in on what he’d asked Hakyeon to do. Ravi was surprised to hear that Hakyeon had agreed to fight another incubus. He hadn’t even fought Xiumin for injuring him; then again, he’d always let Ravi get his ass kicked instead of fighting his battles for him.

“So that’s why I’m pacing. And you should be lying down.”

“I’ll go rest if you go sit down somewhere.”

“Fine.” Taekwoon marched off to his bedroom, trailed slowly by Ravi. Both of them stretched out on the bed, Taekwoon to anxiously twist his fingers and Ravi to watch him. The soft lamplight made him so beautiful, so soft and fragile.

“You haven’t been talking to me.” Ravi said softly. Taekwoon turned his head, looking more like a lion than he ever had with the way the shadows played across his face.

“You wanted to leave. I figured you wouldn’t want to talk to me.” Taekwoon answered flatly.

“What makes you think I wanted to leave?”

“You tried to dissipate and nearly died. Clearly you want to get away from me.”

“I don’t want to get away from _you_. I wanted Hakyeon to leave.” He grasped at Taekwoon’s hand, suddenly desperate. “He’s taking you away from me. I want him to go.”

Taekwoon wrenched his hand away with some difficulty. “You left me, remember? What say do you get if Hakyeon is here? It’s my house.”

“He’s not a good man, Taekwoon.”

“He’s not a man! And neither are you.”

“You’re right. We’re not men. All the more reason for you to be away from Hakyeon. He’s dangerous.”

“He’s always been good to me.” Taekwoon shook his head. “Look, just go downstairs. I want to be alone.”

Ravi didn’t move at first, and then slowly heaved himself upright. He paused just inside the door. “Do you still love me?”

Taekwoon didn’t answer. “Go downstairs, Ravi.”

The cellar door had hardly shut when Hakyeon reappeared, covered in blood.

“Oh my God.” Taekwoon said, getting up to inspect the damage.

“Don’t worry. It’s not mine.” Hakyeon smiled, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth. “I don’t think anyone will be bothering your friend anymore.”

“Thank you.” Taekwoon grabbed him by his shirt, not caring about the blood-damp fabric between his fingers, and kissed him. He could taste the coppery blood coating Hakyeon’s mouth, and didn’t mind it.

Hakyeon fucked him on the floor. The incubus left bloody handprints all over Taekwoon’s body and more of it spattered onto the floor. Taekwoon’s back ached from the force of it and he suspected he’d have bruises from the hardwood floor.

“You should clean up.” Hakyeon purred out, tracing his fingertips across the bloody marks on Taekwoon’s chest.

“Yeah. Gross.” Taekwoon hadn’t really thought about the fact that he was covered in an incubus’s blood when they started having sex, and now that it was starting to dry on his skin it was starting to creep him out. His whole body hurt as he got up and went to turn on the shower. He surveyed himself in the mirror as the water heated up, bloody streaks and handprints all over him, bruises blooming on his neck and shoulders, and cum steadily leaking out of him.

He hardly recognized himself.

He scrubbed himself perhaps a little too hard, trying to take off stains that weren’t physical. He was disgusted with himself. He was even more disgusted when he saw the mess on his floor. That was going to need bleaching. He wiped up as much as he could with his back protesting the movement. Hakyeon was nowhere to be found, which was kind of what Taekwoon had been hoping to find. He dressed quickly and was halfway out his front door when he paused.

Hesitantly, Taekwoon opened the cellar door and peeked inside. Ravi was reading one of Taekwoon’s books, or pretending to at least.

“What do you want, Taekwoon?” Ravi asked flatly. Taekwoon couldn’t blame him for the harsh tone; he hadn’t exactly been kind to the incubus earlier.

“You’ve been here so long cooped up in the house. Do you want to walk on the beach for a bit?” Taekwoon was honestly expecting Ravi to throw the book at him.

“Help me up?”

Ravi could walk on his own pretty well, although he leaned on Taekwoon’s arm as they went down the stairs on the cliffside. The moon had risen over the ocean and it made everything glow the same silver as Ravi’s hair. They walked quietly on the sand, their bare feet leaving trails of mingled footprints.

“You still smell like blood.” Ravi said quietly after they’d been walking for a while. Taekwoon winced.

“I scrubbed myself raw.”

“I can smell the trace of it.” Ravi paused, turning his face towards the moon and basking in its glow like a cat might in sunlight.

“I don’t know who I am anymore.” Taekwoon admitted. “I looked at myself in the mirror…after, and I barely recognized myself.”

“Oh my darling, my Leo.” Ravi turned towards him, black tears welling up. “What have we done to you?”

“Nothing either of you have done has been without my consent. I’m the agent of my own destruction.”

“If I’d never fed on you, you’d still be the same.”

“Maybe.” Taekwoon sat down heavily on the sand. “I don’t regret meeting you, Ravi. I don’t regret loving you either.”

“You wouldn’t answer me earlier.”

“I was mad at you. Did you really expect me to answer?”

“No, not really darling.” Ravi lowered himself to the sand carefully.

“I do still love you.” Taekwoon looked out over the ocean rather than look at Ravi. “When you came to me all bloody, I was terrified. I didn’t want to see you again only to lose you. And holding you, having you inside me again, it made that old addiction come back so strongly.”

“Then why are you letting Hakyeon touch you?”

“Because I was attracted to him. And because I thought you didn’t want me anymore. You tried to dissipate before you were ready to get away from me.”

“I’ll stop wanting you when the sun rises in the west and sets in the east. When your world is no more than a wasteland like mine.”

“Then what do we do?”

“I don’t know. Incubi don’t fall in love with humans. And humans that love us…they don’t live long. We’re a unique pair.”

“One step at a time, then.”

“One step at a time.”

They stayed out on the beach for a while, until Taekwoon started feeling the chill of the night air in his bones. They held hands back to the house, and Taekwoon left Ravi at the cellar door with a kiss.

\--

Taekwoon was standing on his patio watching the sun set when he smelled the smoke.

“You can come during sundown?” He asked without turning around.

“I’m old enough.” Hakyeon stayed just inside the house, out of the last rays of orange sunshine.

“Always with the age. You make yourself sound like a bottle of wine.” Taekwoon came back into the house and checked on his dinner. Hakyeon trailed behind, lingering at the edge of the kitchen while Taekwoon stirred his noodles.

“Do you love me?” Hakyeon asked suddenly. Taekwoon splattered boiling water on himself.

“What?”

“Do you love me?” Hakyeon looked surprisingly innocent, his eyes wide and round.

“I-I don’t know.” Taekwoon lied and immediately cursed himself. Hakyeon could always smell his lies.

“You don’t love me.” Hakyeon’s eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t understand.”

“What don’t you understand?”

“I did all the right things. They were all the things that Ravi did. I even protected your friend for you.” Hakyeon looked increasingly confused. “Doesn’t that mean you should love me?”

Taekwoon sat down at his table slowly, trying to understand what was going on. “Hakyeon, doing the right things doesn’t mean you—oh.”

“What?”

“Incubi don’t love.” Taekwoon nodded to himself. “You think love is something that comes with doing certain steps, like an orgasm, right? If you touch me here and do the right things, I’ll love you?”

“Why did you fall in love with Ravi?”

“I don’t know why. I don’t remember falling in love with him. Just that one day it occurred to me that I did.”

“So one day it could work like that with me?”

“I don’t think so, Hakyeon.”

The incubus looked down at his hands, at the small triangle tattooed on the back of it. “I thought maybe you could. A human that can love an incubus is rare.”

“Love doesn’t work that way.”

Hakyeon looked him in the eye. “You’re wrong, you know.”

“About what?”

“About incubi. It’s not that we don’t love. It’s that we can’t.” Hakyeon gestured back at the wine cellar. “I told you when I made Ravi that I used part of myself. I gave up my ability to love when I made him. I didn’t even realize it was something I had to give up, because the incubus who made me couldn’t love. We lose it when we make our darklings, and most incubi never get attached enough to realize that we don’t have the capacity for love.”

“Do you care about me?” Hakyeon looked confused, so he pressed on. “Do you worry about my health? About my comfort? Do you want to take care of me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I…I don’t know. Because you feed me, maybe?”

“Feeding off me isn’t why you pet my cheeks and coo over me and call me angel. You care about me. How would you feel if I died?”

“Angry. Sad.”

“Because you care. That’s a kind of love, Hakyeon. It might not be the romantic love I have for Ravi, but it’s something. And I care about you, too.”

“So you love me, but differently.”

“I guess I do. I’m in love with Ravi, and I love you. Being in love is different.”

“Do you think maybe one day I’ll be in love with someone?”

“It’s possible. You’re five thousand years old, after all. Anything’s possible.”

“I hope you’re right, Taekwoon.” He smiled slightly and then vanished in a column of smoke.

\--

Ravi’s recovery took weeks. He was a little too cautious, only taking small amounts of blood from Taekwoon at once. If he had fed more aggressively, he would have gotten better faster, as Taekwoon argued, but Ravi was adamant that he wasn’t going to hurt his pianist.

Once he was strong enough, they moved away from the blood feedings to having sex again. Every time they made love Taekwoon was reminded of what he’d been missing, of what he’d almost given up. He was too deeply in love with Ravi to let him go, and letting him feed on his body was nothing. Ravi always cleaned him up afterwards, stroked his hair and rubbed his shoulders, kissed him to sleep.

And when he was better, they moved on to fitting Taekwoon’s bedroom with blackout curtains so that Ravi could stay with him overnight. The wine cellar had slowly been converted into a better bedroom for Ravi if he needed to retreat to the more light-tight space, with a better mattress and sheets, and shelves full of books and CDs for him. While Taekwoon was away recording, Ravi either slept or amused himself with the books. Taekwoon was trying to talk him into getting a computer, but he complained about the smell of the metal parts.

The day Taekwoon finished recording his album, he invited Sanghyuk, Seokjin, Jaehwan, and Hongbin to his house for dinner. He was fluttery and anxious as he cooked, watching the sun starting to go down through his window. He was always steadier with Ravi around, and now was no different.

Seokjin and Jaehwan arrived first, bearing a bottle of wine and the dessert that Taekwoon had asked them to bring. Then Hongbin and Sanghyuk, both of them looking suspiciously rumpled. Taekwoon was curious, but he didn’t have any room to talk about secret relationships.

They had just finished setting the table when the sun finally slipped below the horizon. The wine cellar door creaked open and Jaehwan looked in that direction in surprise.

“Is someone else here?” He asked, just as Ravi rounded the corner and came into the kitchen. Jaehwan and Hongbin recognized him, obviously, having met him a year earlier. Seokjin and Sanghyuk just blinked in surprise at the white haired man who sauntered through the kitchen and tucked his face into Taekwoon’s neck.

“What are you doing here?” Hongbin demanded. Taekwoon hadn’t told them anything about the circumstances of Ravi’s leaving, mostly because he couldn’t, but they’d assumed things had ended badly.

“I’m here for Taekwoon.” Ravi answered simply, one arm looping around Taekwoon’s waist. “He asked me to be here at this dinner.”

It was an awkward dinner. Taekwoon kept trying to get the conversation going again but his best friends were staring at Ravi accusingly, and Seokjin and Sanghyuk were just confused.

“Darling, I think we may as well tell them.” Ravi said finally.

“You mean you may as well tell them.” Taekwoon reminded him. The blood bond still kept Taekwoon from talking about him too directly, but Ravi had assured him it would wear off eventually. Ravi snorted, and leaned back in his chair.

“I am not a man.” Ravi began. “I’m an incubus, and over three thousand years old.”  Obviously, everyone in the room stared at him like he was insane.

“Just listen to him.” Taekwoon hadn’t expected this to go well at all, but as long as he could keep them in the room they’d be okay.

“I can prove it, but only with your permission.” Ravi said to Jaehwan, who was sitting closest to him. Reluctantly, Jaehwan gave him his hand. Taekwoon knew the instant that Ravi had used his power, because Jaehwan’s back bowed, his lips parting in a moan. “What I’m doing to Jaehwan is drawing up his sexual essence, which is what incubi feed on. For mortals it makes the whole experience much more potent.” Ravi’s conversational tone was almost hilarious compared to the way that Jaehwan had started to writhe in his grip. Ravi let go, and Jaehwan fell back against his chair, breathing hard.

“What the _hell_?” Jaehwan gasped out. Seokjin was already fussing over him, trying to make sure he was all right.

“Incubi feed during sex. We use our abilities to pull your sexual essence to the surface, and then when the mortal reaches the point of climax, we’re able to feed on that essence. It keeps us alive.” Ravi was completely comfortable discussing this, but Sanghyuk looked like he was about to throw up in his salad.

“So you…feed on Taekwoon when you guys have sex?” Sanghyuk managed to ask.

“Yes. Taekwoon is my only partner, and will be for the foreseeable future.” Ravi smiled when Taekwoon reached over and took his hand. “He can’t talk about me because of an old protective measure that incubi have. When we give our partners our blood, they can’t talk about us and our existence. And I have had Taekwoon’s blood, which allows me to find him wherever he is.”

“So let me see if I have this straight.” Hongbin said. “You’re some kind of sex demon, who bangs my best friend in order to survive. And Taekwoon can’t talk about you because of some blood ritual thing.”

“That’s about the size of it.” Taekwoon said.

“Why did you break up a year ago then?” Hongbin asked.

“I left him. I thought he would be better off with someone mortal. But when I was injured a few months ago, I came to him for help and he sheltered me.” Slowly the story started to come out, about Hakyeon and Ravi’s injuries, about Ravi’s rare ability to love. And slowly, Taekwoon’s friends seemed to process the information and come to terms with it.

“If you’re immortal, what will you do when Taekwoon starts to age?” Jaehwan asked, pouring the last of their fourth bottle of wine into his cup.

“Taekwoon will live out his mortal life, with me by his side. And when he passes, I’ll give up my immortality.” When Ravi had recovered enough to dissipate, he’d gone to find Hakyeon. He’d been half a world away, feeding in Shanghai when Ravi caught up to him. Apparently there was a way to end an incubus’ life, but Taekwoon didn’t know the exact details of it. And he didn’t really need to understand it. All he needed to know was that Ravi would be with him until his mortal life was over.

“And it doesn’t bother you that your boyfriend is going to be young and hot and you’ll be an old man?” Seokjin asked.

“He’ll still love me all the same. And I’ll still love him.” Taekwoon shrugged. “We’ve been through every permutation of this. We know the paths this could take. And we know we want to stay together.”

“If this is what you want, I suppose we can make room for the sex demon in our lives.” Jaehwan grinned. “Good to meet the real you, Ravi.”

“It’s good to meet you on my own terms. Sorry about that erection I gave you earlier.” Ravi teased. And the night got easier from there. Sanghyuk and Hongbin admitted that they had started seeing each other, which was oddly cute and endearing.

By the time everyone left, it was well after midnight. Taekwoon was exhausted and more than a little tipsy, but Ravi helped him get ready for bed and crawled in with him after making sure the blackout curtains were shut tight.

“I’m glad everyone got to see you the way I do.” Taekwoon mumbled as he curled up to Ravi’s side.

“Me too, darling.” Ravi nuzzled his face into Taekwoon’s hair. “Are you still sure this is what you want?”

“For the millionth time, yes, Ravi, I’m sure I want to be with you.” Taekwoon poked him in the side. “Now stop worrying and cuddle me.”

“Fine. Demanding little lion, aren’t you?” Ravi still held him closer, and thanked whoever might have had a hand in this that he’d never made his own darkling, that he’d never given up his ability to love, that Taekwoon hadn’t given up on him.

Taekwoon fell asleep in his arms and Ravi just admired the shape of his face, the curve of his lips, the arch of his cheekbones. They had many years left together of love and companionship and that was all he wanted. As long as he could be with Taekwoon and love him and be loved by him, there was no need for eternity.


End file.
